Trayvon Martin Murder Case set for June 10, 2013
/George Zimmerman's murder trial in the death of Trayvon Martin was set for June 10 during a hearing in court this morning.
Zimmerman, 29, is charged with second-degree murder for shooting Trayvon, an unarmed 17-year-old, in Sanford Feb. 26, a homicide that set off civil-rights rallies across the country.
This morning, Circuit Judge Debra Nelson set Zimmerman’s trial for June 10. Attorneys in the case said they estimate the trial will last three weeks. Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda said he expected jury selection would take longer than the trial itself.
The hearing, known as a docket sounding, lasted about six minutes. Though the judge set a date, Zimmerman attorney Mark O’Mara was noncommittal about when he’d be fully prepared.
“I don’t know today when we’ll be ready for trial,” he said.
After the hearing, Zimmerman's defense tweeted he will likely seek a hearing under the controversial self-defense law commonly known as “stand your ground” in the months leading up to trial.
The "self-defense immunity hearing [is] likely to be requested for April or May," the tweet said.
Zimmerman’s wife Shellie Zimmerman, 25, is charged with perjury, and her attorney was also in court for this morning. Prosecutors say she lied at her husband’s first bond hearing when she testified that the couple was broke.
Prosecutors agreed with Shellie Zimmerman’s lawyer to delay the next hearing in her case until Dec. 12. No trial date was set in that case.
Neither defendant appeared in court today. Both are living in hiding in Seminole County.
